Coordinated network-wide administration of exchanges

ABSTRACT

This invention relates to an administration device ( 1 ) for administering and modifying operating functions of exchanges ( 6   a    . . . 6   n ) in a telephone network. The operating functions are administered and modified by means of administration commands. Said device comprises co-ordination means ( 2 ) for co-ordinating operating functions concerning several exchanges ( 6   a    . . . 6   n ). The invention also relates to a method for administering and modifying operating functions of exchanges ( 6   a    . . . 6   n ), used in this administration device (1).

[0001] The present invention relates to an administration device foradministering and changing operating functions in a telephone network,as it is described in the preamble of the attached claim 1, and to amethod used in this administration device, as it is described in theattached claim 7.

[0002] Switching centers serve to connect subscribers, i.e., theirterminals, with the telephone network. A plurality of switching centersis present in a telephone network; the switching centers are linked withone another.

[0003] The administration of operating functions in the control softwareof the switching centers takes place by means of administration commands(e.g., by way of proprietary Man-Machine Language commands, MML, orstandardized Q3 commands), which are input at a console and are sent tothe switching center from there. Such administrative tasks can be, forexample, logical setup, modification, or deletion of a terminal of asubscriber.

[0004] In the case of some operating functions, other switching centersalso have to be coordinated if a change occurs in one switching center,i.e., the different administration commands to the affected switchingcenters must be precisely coordinated with one another. An example ofthis is the adaptation of routing tables in several switching centers toa change in one switching center.

[0005] If the administration commands or their parameters deviate fromthis logical coordination in this connection, as the result of incorrectinput, for example, then network-wide functionality of the correspondingoperating function is no longer possible in the telephone network.

[0006] In the state of the art, coordination of network-wideadministration is carried out manually. In this connection, if there isa change in an operating function, all of the necessary administrationcommands are manually compiled by one operator (i.e., by one authorizedperson). Local operators then send the different administrationcommands, which have been coordinated with one another, to theappropriate switching center by way of a console (referred to as anadministration device hereinafter).

[0007] The disadvantage of this solution is that it requires significantadministration effort because of the manual compilation of manyadministration commands for an administrative task or operatingfunction.

[0008] In addition, when there is a large number of administrationcommands, errors can very easily occur during compilation or entry ofthe commands. Then, the feedback from all the administration commandsmust be collected and manually assessed for an analysis of the errorsand the possible effects on coordinated administration.

[0009] It is therefore the task of the present invention to makeavailable an administration device for administering and changingoperating functions of switching centers, according to the preamble ofthe attached claim 1, and a method used in this administration devicefor administering and changing operating functions of switching centers,according to the preamble of the attached claim 7, with which areduction in the error rate during the administration and modificationof operating functions in switching centers is made possible.

[0010] This task is accomplished by means of an administration deviceaccording to the attached claim 1, and by a method used in thisadministration device, according to the attached claim 7.

[0011] According to the present invention, the administration commandsrequired for an administrative task or operating function are centrallycalculated, i.e., generated by the administration device according tothe invention, and sent to all the affected switching centers.

[0012] This automatic coordination and direct link with the switchingcenters results in a tremendous savings of time. This makes it possibleto significantly increase productivity in performing administrativetasks (by a factor>100), which allows the operator of a telephonenetwork and the switching centers to broadly market services andfeatures that require complex administration.

[0013] Furthermore, the automatic generation of the administrationcommands reduces and even precludes errors in manual coordination oradministration. The administration can therefore be performed in acentralized facility, by specially trained technical personnel, therebyeliminating expensive training of a large number of local operators.

[0014] Advantageous embodiments of the invention are reproduced in thedependent claims 2 to 6 and 8 to 12.

[0015] In order to be able to correctly calculate and generate theoperating functions and the resulting administration commands, it isnecessary for the relevant information (data) in this regard to bestored centrally in a memory device. The administration device assessesthe respective data from the memory device in order to implement thecorresponding operating functions.

[0016] The present invention can be used in a particularly advantageousmanner in the so-called CENTREX service (Centralized Office ExchangeService), in order to administer groups and objects contained in thesegroups. This use will be explained in greater detail below on the basisof a preferred exemplary embodiment.

[0017] Changing operating functions that relate to routing ofconnections, in particular, has effects on several switching centers.Therefore it is advantageous to use the present invention foradministering and changing routing tables in switching centers.

[0018] A standardized graphical user interface is available to the useror operator for inputting operating functions to be administered; thisfacilitates familiarization with applications that are used fornetwork-wide administration.

[0019] Since the administrative tasks are centralized, centralizedprocessing of feedback from the switching centers affected by anadministrative task is also made possible. This significantlyfacilitates record-keeping and error analysis.

[0020] In the following, the present invention will be explained ingreater detail on the basis of preferred exemplary embodiments, makingreference to the attached drawings, which show:

[0021]FIG. 1 a schematic representation of the administration deviceaccording to the invention, in a telephone network, and

[0022]FIGS. 2 and 3 examples of the coordination of administrative tasksaccording to the invention.

[0023] As is evident from FIG. 1, the administration device 1 accordingto the invention consists of a terminal or a console with an inputdevice (keyboard, mouse, etc.), a screen 4, coordination means 2 forcoordinating operating functions, and a memory device 3 for storing thedata that are required for administering and calculating theadministration commands. A spatial separation of the administrationdevice 1 and the administration of data in the memory device 3 wouldalso be possible.

[0024] Coordination of the administration and modification of operatingfunctions that have effects on several switching centers therefore takesplace in a centralized manner. The coordination means 2 for coordinatingoperating functions are implemented in the administration device 1 assoftware in the administration device 1; the administration device couldbe one or more computers (PCs) on which a program runs that fulfills thetasks of the coordination means 2, for example. A graphical userinterface serves for inputting the data, i.e., the operating function tobe changed, which is necessary in order to be able to carry out aspecific administrative task. The administration commands areautomatically generated from a minimum set of user entries, and areautomatically sent to the affected switching centers. In this way,several thousand administration commands (e.g., MML commands) can becalculated and generated in the background from a single screen entry.

[0025] The logic for the task, in each instance, for network-wideadministration, is anchored in the applications software. The operatoris therefore relieved of manual coordination.

[0026] Because of the tremendous simplification of the user interfacefor administration, good record-keeping of the operating functions ofsent administration commands that have been carried out is required. Forthis reason, the confirmations (feedback) from the switching centers inresponse to the administration commands are collected and stored in adatabase.

[0027] In this connection, the confirmations can be represented in threedifferent granularity levels, for example. In one level, an overview ofdifferent administration tasks that have been carried out is given. In amore detailed level, the switching centers that were addressed for aspecific administration task are shown. In the most detailed level, theindividual commands to a switching center and the respective feedbackare shown. At every level, the display shows whether the task wassuccessfully or unsuccessfully completed (e.g., in total, at oneswitching center, or individual commands).

[0028] In the following, the present invention will be described for theadministration of groups in the CENTREX service.

[0029] CENTREX is a special service in a network node, i.e., in aswitching center, which makes the functionality similar to a privatebranch exchange available to part of the connected objects (e.g.,terminals, private branch exchanges). In this connection, these objectsare organized in groups, with a group corresponding in its functionalityto a private branch exchange. This service is useful for companies, forexample, since no separate private branch exchange has to be acquiredwhen using this service. Furthermore, with this service it is possibleto set up groups distributed in several switching centers, by way of thetelephone network, whose objects can be reached, among one another, byway of a private telephone number plan. In this connection, theindividual groups and their objects also have the function of a privatebranch exchange; the objects can be reached, among one another, by wayof a private number plan. Depending on the network size, CENTREX groupsthat are distributed over a thousand switching centers are possible.

[0030] In order to create a telephone number plan, the administrationcommands to the affected switching centers have to be coordinated, sincea change in one switching center (e.g., setting up a new group) can haveeffects on other switching centers. In this case, an administration taskcan comprise several hundred to several thousand administration commandsto over one thousand switching centers.

[0031]FIG. 2 shows the possibility of group cross-dialing (GroupDialing). Here, objects (e.g., terminals 7) of group 1, for example, arereached from all other groups by means of the group dialing number(e.g., 77) plus the internal telephone number (e.g., 888). This groupdialing number must therefore be set up in every switching center wherea cohesive group is set up, in order to be able to reach the group 1 ora subscriber connected with it from every related CENTREX group (e.g.,branch offices of a company). For this purpose, every group has its ownspecific code (corresponding to the group dialing number), which must beset up in all the other groups and switching centers. In the case of1000 groups, this means a total of 1 million MML commands: a command ina switching center of a Pro-CENTREX group to establish the group dialingnumber, and one command for each of the other 999 CENTREX groups, inorder to enter the dialing number there.

[0032] Another possibility of how a CENTREX subscriber (e.g., atswitching center 6 a) can reach another CENTREX subscriber at anotherswitching center (e.g., 6 b) consists in setting up a uniform,network-wide telephone number plan as shown in FIG. 3.

[0033] Here, every subscriber can be reached by way of his/her terminal7, by way of a telephone number and a group dialing number. For thispurpose, the internal telephone number of the subscriber (e.g., 888)must be clear network-wide, within all the cohesive groups. In thisconnection, the telephone number is set up at all the switching centersover which the cohesive CENTREX groups are distributed; only in this waycan it be assured that the subscriber can be reached by way of thetelephone network. In the case of 1000 groups with 10 subscribers each,this means a volume of 10 million MML commands.

[0034] According to the present invention, the coordination means 2 forcoordinating operating functions are made available for setting up thetelephone number plans as described, as are coordination functions tohandle the tasks described, for other areas of the administration ofCENTREX groups.

[0035] For example, for setting up a network-wide internal telephonenumber plan, the group dialing number at which the individual groups aresupposed to be able to be reached according to FIG. 1, and the internaltelephone number of the subscriber according to FIG. 2, are supposed tobe set up in all the affected switching centers. Calculating,generating, and sending the administration commands necessary for thisto the groups in question in the affected switching centers, in order toensure that the respective group or a subscriber can be reached, takesplace automatically, according to the invention.

[0036] Furthermore, there is the possibility of placing complicatedadministration tasks into a queue and determining a point in time atwhich the commands are automatically started, e.g., at a time with a lowload in the switching centers.

1. Administration device (1) for administering and changing operatingfunctions of switching centers (6 a . . . 6 n) in a telephone network,the operating functions of the switching centers (6 a . . . 6 n) beingadministered and changed by means of administration commands that theyreceive from the administration device (1), with an input device (5) forinputting data with regard to an operating function to be changed.characterized by coordination means (2) for coordinating operatingfunctions that relate to several switching centers (6 a . . . 6 n),these coordination means (2) automatically calculating the appropriateadministration commands for all the affected switching centers (6 a . .. 6 n) after data concerning an operating function to be changed havebeen input, and sending them to the affected switching centers (6 a . .. 6 n).
 2. The administration device (1) as recited in claim 1,characterized in that data that are required for administering andcalculating the administration commands are centrally stored in a memorydevice (3).
 3. The administration device (1) as recited in claim 1 or 2,characterized in that it serves to administer and change the operatingfunctions of groups and objects contained in these groups, in theCENTREX service.
 4. The administration device (1) as recited in claims1, 2 or 3, characterized in that it is used for administering andchanging routing tables.
 5. The administration device (1) as recited inone of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that a graphical user interfaceis available for inputting the operating functions to be changed.
 6. Theadministration device (1) as recited in one of claims 1 to 5,characterized in that it receives and processes feedback from thecorresponding switching centers (6 a . . . 6 n) concerningimplementation of the administration commands that were sent.
 7. Methodfor administering and changing operating functions of switching centers(6 a . . . 6 n) in a telephone network, the operating functions of theswitching centers (6 a . . . 6 n) being administered and changed bymeans of administration commands, characterized in that operatingfunctions that relate to several switching centers (6 a. 0.6 n), areautomatically calculated after data concerning an operating function tobe changed have been input, for all the affected switching centers (6 a. . . 6 n), and automatically sent to the affected switching centers (6a . . . 6 n).
 8. The method as recited in claim 7, characterized in thatdata that are required for administering and calculating theadministration commands are stored centrally.
 9. The method as recitedin claim 7 or 8, characterized in that it is used to administer andchange the operating functions of groups and objects contained in thesegroups, in the CENTREX service.
 10. The method as recited in claim 7, 8,or 9, characterized in that it is used for administering and changingrouting tables.
 11. The method as recited in one of claims 7 to 10,characterized in that a graphical user interface is available forinputting the operating functions to be changed.
 12. The method asrecited in one of claims 7 to 11, characterized in that feedback fromthe corresponding switching centers (6 a . . . 6 n) about implementationof the administration commands sent is received and processed centrally.